Candles
by Rachel2
Summary: You'd think Spike would be happy to celebrate his 28th birthday...but all it holds is memories he wishes to forget, memories of the day Julia first kissed him. Will Spike be able to notice what he's had in front of him, what will he think of the gift Faye


**Candles**

**By: Rachel***

**Gender: Romance**

**E-mail: PeachGirlKiley@aol.com**

**Web Address: www.Spike-Faye-Shrine.cjb.net**

**+ Since Spike's birthday is today **6/26/03******, I wrote a fanfic in celebration! LoL, it takes place during the TV series. An alternate telling of when Spike met Julia, how it haunts him, and how he suddenly notices what he's had in front of him all along… +**

**+Don't own Cowboy Bebop+**

Spike's eyes began to droop. He coughed, letting his head roll back. Stretching he gazed up at the ceiling and groaned. "I hate today." He growled. His birthday, the day no one remembered, and the day he couldn't forget. The day Julia had first kissed him.

            Foot steps alerted him. His eyes drifted shut and he pretended to be asleep. The scent of jasmine surrounded him, and his left ear twitched slightly as the person began to hum lazily. _'Faye,' he thought. He almost let a smile creep onto his face._

            "Lunkhead," she uttered, Faye bent down and stared into his face. He looked so gentle, even if he really wasn't asleep… Spike felt uncomfortable, he could feel the heat radiating from her body. She took a quick inhale of breath. "Wake up!" She screamed into her face. Spike's two-toned eyes shot open and he lounged his body forward.

            Ed giggled watching from the other side of the room. Ein sat in the chair and stirred from his sleep, whimpering. "Lunkhead-Lunkhead," she laughed some more.

            "Christ, what the hell was that for?" Spike rubbed his ears and frowned. Just his luck, this is what he gets for trying to get some shut-eye.

            "You were faking it." Faye stated simply. Spike's nose wrinkled together and his eyes narrowed.

            "I was not." He'd fight until the very end.

            "You're eyes were forced shut, you weren't relaxed enough." She smirked, taking a seat on the table in front on him. Spike stared at her for a moment watching her as she taped her nails one after the other on the table repeatedly. Faye bent forward and held her head up with her hand as she rested her one arm on her crossed legs. She extended her other to Spike's cheek and traced his chin line with her right index finger. "I've got you whipped, and you know it." She snickered, before standing and walking towards the kitchen without another word. He watched as her hips swayed from side to side gracefully.

            Spike's body tensed and he felt a sharp pain beginning to form in his head. He gritted his teeth and stood, storming off. His feet pounded into the ground. "Shows what you know…" He trailed off muttering something under his breath.

            Faye popped her head out of the kitchen a wide grin pasted on her pale-skinned face. She let out a whispered laugh before turning away. She met face to face with Jet. "Oh, god, don't scare me like that." Faye jumped backwards in surprise. Sighing, she held her hands to her chest and bowed her head down. 

            Jet chuckled. "Sorry 'bout that. I just wanted to tell you to take it easy on Spike today." Jet pierced his lips together. "It's his birthday…normally people would be happy, but in Spike's case, it's a nightmare, this day taunts him to no end. The day—"

            "Jet." Spike spat. His voice was deep, and deadly. Faye jumped again startled, and turned around and staring up at him. His body stiffened, he looked away from her. "Are you making lunch, or are we fending for ourselves?" He regretted ever telling Jet his story.

            "Fending I guess." Jet coughed, and walked out of the room.

            Spike stared past Faye as she stared at him. There was a long lingering silence. His eyes were cold and distant. "Happy Birthday, Spike." Faye mumbled. She took a step back and plopped down on a kitchen chair.

            Spike's eyes only narrowed more. He peered over at her and swallowed the ball forming in the back of his throat. He remained silent and walked past her. She watched as he opened the fridge. There was nothing in it—as usual. He growled and slammed the door shut, before hitting his fist into the counter. "No one asked you!" He looked at her with a pained look. She'd never seen that look in his eyes before, it was almost frightening. 

            Faye winced and leaned back in her chair bowing her head down. "I didn't say anything." She mumbled.

            Spike's teeth were grinding together. "You didn't have to." He mumbled. Faye's head moved back and she drew her legs towards her chest, coiling into a ball. His voice was harsh, and seethed out like poison. "I can see it in your eyes. It's written as clear as day." He slowly cooled down. His voice became lifeless and drained.

            Faye pressed her mouth against her legs trying not to let her concern show through. What was Jet going to say before Spike cut him off? She hated to say it, but curiosity was getting the best of her. "Are you really that old?" She tried to make lite of the situation.

            Spike didn't find it amusing in the least. His face grew bitter. His eyes grew wide. Spike knew he was making her feel the heat, the anger and pain in his eyes was shooting right threw her. He shook his head. "Faye, why would you give a damn anyway?" 

            He smirked, and turned away heading out of the room. He'd never meant to make Faye that upset, but maybe now she would leave him alone. He marched towards his room to go take a nap.

            Faye stared down at the tile floor below her. "I do care." She whispered. She brought her hands to her face, she was crying…

**_++++++_**

**            Spike took a sip of his beer and put it back down on the bar booth. "It's getting late, shouldn't we be going soon?" He laughed, as Vicious tried to dance with the waitress.**

**            "The night it young…" Vicious whispered into the girl's ear. Her face flushed as he placed his hands on her hips and swayed from side to side, moving to the beat of the music.**

**            Spike sighed, and shook his head. "Happy Birthday to me." He smirked. His attention turned towards the girl sitting next to him. She stared at him, she wouldn't stop. "Are you okay?" He coughed, a little nervous. She was tall, with long blonde hair and deep blue eyes.**

**            She smiled, and took a sip of her drink before looking back at him. "Yeah," she stood and walked over to him. "Happy Birthday." She grabbed hold of his tie and pulled him closer. She simply smiled, and then kissed him.**

**            "That's my Spike!" Vicious howled, the waitress giggled as they both stumbled into a nearby wall, dizzy from their drunkenness. **

**            Spike's face turned beat red as she pulled away looking straight into his brown eyes. She bit down on his lower lip and bowed her head. "See you around Spike." She got up letting her index finger run along his chin line.**

**            Spike couldn't move. His eyes followed her until he couldn't see her any longer. "…See you around…" He nodded in agreement, lost in a daze.**

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**_++++++_**

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****Spike sat up and covered his face in his hands. His body was covered in sweat. His sheets clung to his body. It was already dark out. Spike hit his fist into his bed and shouted out in frustration. He fell onto his side and bit down on his hand. He was shaking. "Forget damn you…" He growled. Spike's eyes closed and he moved hitting his arm into something. Spike sat up and peered down at a small box. It was wrapped in newspaper with a yellow hair hand holding it together. His eyes widened. "Faye…" He didn't know what to say, he'd never gotten a gift, well, since that day at least, that's when everything started to go down hill, he didn't notice at first, but soon that slight slope turned into a drop off.

            Pulling off her hair band he undid the paper and tossed it on the floor. Faye peered in through a small gap in the door. She bit down on her thumb nail her hair laid loose, her bangs hung in her eyes. Spike pulled off the top of the box and stared down at a piece of paper.

            Frowning he picked it up and opened the note, he struggled to read it in the dark. "I'm here, when you need to talk…" Spike let the note fall from his finger tips and he looked towards his door as it opened slowly, a loud creaking noise cut through the tension.

            "It's not much, but if you don't take it in the wrong way…" Faye didn't know what else say. She bit down on her lower lip and stared down at her bare feet, wiggling her toes. She was dressed in a white nightgown that reached just above her knees.

            Spike still remained silent. He stared down at the note. "Faye." He mumbled. His shoulders slouched forward.

           She stepped closer. He turned towards her; his eyes were glassy, glazed with tears. Her heart wrenched. She loved him so much, that flawless man, with the impeccable personality…was braking. She waited for him to respond to the note, not daring to take another step until then.

            He nodded turning towards her. Faye sighed, and fell in his direction letting her arms wrap around his broad frame. Spike was tense; he wasn't used to this; especially these emotions coming from Faye. "Faye…" A tear rolled down his cheek. Faye made calming, soothing noises, which he found to be rather relaxing. Spike pulled away and whipped his tears away with her tombs.

            "Spike," Faye questioned. He pulled away from her grip and looked at her, still edgy. "how old are you?" Spike stared at her blankly before letting a small chuckle escape his lips.

            Faye smiled, shaking her head. "I'm Twenty-eight." He smirked, hitting her in the shoulder with his fist lightly.

            Faye laughed, pulling him close again. He felt so warm in her arms. Spike's cheeks flushed, he was thankful that it was dark out. "Why are you so upset?"

            Spike's smile slowly disappeared. "Julia, I met Julia that day, she kissed me. It wasn't soon after that, that the dream began." Spike chewed on his bottom lip. He felt almost relived to be saying this to her. "I've hated every single one on my birthdays ever since that day. Don't take what I said earlier personal…" Spike sighed bowing his head down Faye stared at him for a moment.

            "Spike?" She was sure of her thoughts.

            "Hmm?" Spike mumbled. Faye put her hands on her cheeks again, and pressed her lips to his. Spike stiffened and staid still, not moving. He pulled away first. Staring in shock he didn't know what to do, let alone what to say.

            Faye pulled back and brought her hands to her mouth. She hadn't meant to do that. "I- I'm sorry." Faye bowed her head and started too walked away in a hurry.

            "No, Faye, wait!" Spike Stood and stumbled forward grabbing a hold of Faye. Her eyes grew wide. His weight shoved her into the wall opposite them. She flinched, as her shoulder blade hit a bolt. Spike sighed, into her neck and looked up. He smiled, nodding his head to reassure himself. He looked from Faye's dark green eyes to her pale red lips and back until he kissed her. "Thank you." He uttered pulling away to take a breath. Faye's body shook, she was at a loss for words. He put his forehead to meet hers. His nose brushed against Faye's. "I couldn't have asked for a better birthday present." He let his fingers tangle in her violet locks and kissed her again. Faye nodded in mid-kiss.

            This felt so right, holding her, kissing her. So many emotions came screaming at him at once, nothing like what he had felt when he kissed Julia. This feeling was this, real love? The best part was, he knew Faye felt the same way, just by looking into her eyes he could see it.

            "Don't keep anything from me, promise?" She whispered into his ear.

            Spike nodded. "Anything you want to know you can know in the morning." Spike smiled, pulling her closer. Faye laughed, nodding her head as he poked her in the side.

            "That works for me birthday boy." She smiled, looking into his eyes, they danced in delight. He was truly happy, happy with Faye.

**See you…Birthday boy… -_-'**


End file.
